Evie Dunmore is my go-to author for exquisite historical romance stories that have a lot of steam and feel progressive.

The third installment in the League of Extraordinary Women series did not disappoint. This book focuses on Hattie Greenfield and Lucien Blackstone. Hattie is a suffragist and feminist, but she's also the heroine that comes from the most money and privilege, which lends an interesting perspective when she is unexpectedly thrown into a marriage to Lucien, who is a self-made Scottish businessman known for his ruthless calling in of high society's debts.

This book was the slowest burn of the three books in the series, and it focuses on feminism, privilege, overcoming trauma and fears, and building a respectful relationship. Hattie begins to question her place in the feminist movement as she realizes that her privilege has shielded her from many of the real-life impacts of being a woman in 1880 English society. Lucien, an outcast and shadowy figure, relies on emotional detachment and is caught by surprise when his feelings for Hattie begin to swell.

Of the three books in the series, this one relies on an intellectual connection before a physical, which is a bit of a shift that felt fresh. As always, it's well-written and well-executed and has a number of twists. This series is one of my most recommended romance series!

Evie Dunmore has done it again. 🙌🏻💜

She made my heart swoon with fabulous characters, complicated love, and slow burning passion.

Portrait of a Scotsman is book three in the League of Extraordinary Women series. It takes place in London, in 1880 and has some really impactful moments in Scotland, as well.

Hattie Greenfield, who readers know from previous books, meets her match. 👏🏻

I loved that past familiar characters surface along Hattie’s journey, and how unique her own love story is with the infamous Mr. Blackstone (who may actually be the sweetest, and is now my most beloved character in ALL of the books- seriously, he’s the best).

I really like that this series doesn’t make me want to roll my eyes, like some romance novels do. The love takes time. It isn’t instant and overly saccharine.

The story actually allows the reader to see the seeds of love be planted and grow through compromise, appreciation, and truly seeing and supporting another human for exactly who they are, and loving them despite scars or faults.🥺
It’s everything I needed.

I value that these novels are HISTORICAL romance and tackle important times in history- largely the women’s Suffrage Movement, equality, and basic human rights, while still giving a healthy dose of steam. It gets real HOT.

I recommend this story for those of you who enjoy strong female characters, the Victorian Era, and great sexy time. 🥵

I adore this series so much. You don’t need to read the first two books to find the this one delightful, but doing so does add an extra layer of sparkle.

I love this series! They are great stories, and interesting challenges to the norm of the time period they take place in. I can't wait to read Catriona's story!

I loved this book. I was slightly disappointed by the second book in this series, but this one is a true return to form. Evie Dunmore clearly does a lot of research and skilfully weaves in historical context with a romance plot. I loved learning about early photography, mining, and more in this book. The context never felt heavy-handed or gratuitous — it made perfect sense for the characters to care about these issues. I also felt there was a little more realism and feminism in this marriage of convenience plot than you usually see with this trope. The characters were aware of and worked hard to overcome their flaws. And it was sexy. Wonderful!

I absolutely adored this book. I loved Bringing Down the Duke, liked A Rogue of One’s Own, and am now obsessed with Hattie and Lucian.

Hattie longs for a life that includes marriage to a kind, sweet, friend who allows her to paint at her leisure. Instead Hattie finds herself in a compromising position with the surly, illegitimate and most unsuitable financier Lucian Blackthorne. After a quick turn at the altar, Hattie finds herself married to a man she doesn’t understand but to whom she is reluctantly attracted.

Lucian wants Hattie Greenfield, daughter to a wealthy banker - and Lucian gets what he wants. Lucian is also a man whose ultimate goal is to eradicate the absolute poverty suffered by the mining communities in which he grew up.

When his marriage to Hattie does not go the way he wants, Lucian finds himself dragging her up to Scotland in order to keep the infuriating, independent woman close. Naturally, sparks fly as husband and wife learn to know each other, and Lucian wonders whether he has ruined any chance at building a life with Hattie. The “there’s only one bed” trope hits again!

Evie Dunmore hits it out of the park again, ladies and gentlemen!! She did a phenomenal job meshing a sensual and lovely romance with the gritty realities of Victorian England. Moreover, we have a tortured and brooding hero who is willing to reconsider his actions, a smart and imperfect heroine who is willing to learn, feminism, sexual tension, and some of that angst that makes your chest tighten as you wonder how these complete opposites can make it work. I loved the emotional growth of our hero and heroine, and that ending was **chef’s kiss**. I can’t wait for Catriona’s book!

Bookstagram review coming soon!

Have thoroughly enjoyed reading Evie Dunmore's the League of Extraordinary Women series. I like that the women are strong characters with opinions that were not popular at the time but they stood up to the times.

Portrait of a Scotsman did not disapoint. Brooding, handsome Scotsman with a soft side? Yes, please.

Lucian is a ruthless business man who's biggest rival is Hattie's father. Lucian manipulates a marriage with Hattie then finds out he got more than he bargained for. This book was hard to put down!

Can be read as a stand alone but the other books in the series are just as good so start from the beginning!

Thank you to Berkely and NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited for this one, as I have really enjoyed Dunmore's first two books in this series, and I was not disappointed. I can say confidently that this is my favorite one -- which might reveal more about me than the book, but pay that no mind.

This one is about Hattie and Lucian Blackstone, and it starts with a Bridgerton-style marriage, which I'm sure you will also go nuts for as I did. But these two together are so dramatic and chaotic I don't know where to start. Hattie is a society woman who has to interrogate what exactly suffrage and activism means to her, and Lucian has baggage so heavy it's a miracle he can carry it. Which is exactly why I loved him, obviously. Brooding, a facial scar, gruff to everyone except his wife. Really great stuff here.

But while I felt like A Rogue of One's Own (book two in the series) missed the mark on addressing the imperialism that made much of that plot possible, I think Dunmore tries harder here to teach you something about socialism, workers right's, and how to navigate activism when you are no longer the person being harmed by the systems you want to change. It was very interesting to see how this wove into the plot and I think people will learn something.

Lastly, there were a few qualms I had with some small plot details, and I'm not entirely sure about the rollercoaster of an ending, but I liked the rest of it so much that I have to give it 5 stars.

I must admit that I own the first two books in the League of Extraordinary Women series and have yet to read them. That will definitely be changing after my devouring of this book. Having heard rave reviews for the first title as being a fresh new romance series that hits all the right notes, I was a little skeptical. Not anymore. If the first two in the series are anything like Portrait of a Scotsman, they are truly hitting all the high notes.

This installment follows Hattie, a young heiress who just wants to be taken seriously in life and her art, and Lucian, a ruthless business rival of her father who underhandedly devises a way to attain her hand in marriage. This obviously starts the marriage on a very rocky path as the strong-minded Hattie who was born into wealth and lived her life to the expectations of those around her comes to an impasse with the darkly reserved Lucian who brawled his way into the world of the gentry through mysterious means. This book is a lovely mixture of Pride and Prejudice with a little Beauty and the Beast. Both characters have faults, make mistakes, but truly learn and progress as the plot unfurls. No magical remediation of a character in a paragraph in this book. Hattie and Lucien better each other, but also give each other a lens through which to see themselves and undertake some self-reflection. Hattie gets to pursue a life outside of everyone's expectations and the mold she's been forced into while pursuing her art/photography and being involved in the women's suffrage movement. Lucian gets to pursue his work in improving conditions in a mining operation he bought in shambles and grows to understand how his hatred and anger for his past can slowly rot away parts of his life and cause him to lose the one person in his life that he has grown to need the most.

Absolutely loved it. Great main and supporting characters, great pacing, great weaving of tough topics into the over-arching romance plot. Enjoyed not only the look into the women's suffrage movement but also the deplorable working conditions for mine laborers at the time. Loved that the ending wasn't tied up into some kind of neat fairy tale bow at the end. Don't get me wrong, it's a lovely ending. But done very well and very refreshing. Everything I hoped it would be. Five out of five stars. Would recommend.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

The highly anticipated 3rd book from Evie Dunmore that absolutely lives up to the hype and then some!

Hattie and Lucian's story is so different to the previous two books - and I really enjoyed that. Don't get me wrong I love all the tropes of period romances - but A League of Extraordinary Woman is just something in its own class entirely.

I felt every emotion that danced across these pages and it was an absolute delight to take it all in. And as always, I learnt so much more about women's suffrage and can walk away knowing that I'm being educated while enjoying well written romance. What a treat!

The League of Extraordinary Women series is such a special take on historical romance. In this third book, we get to see Hattie and Mr. Blackstone. Both are fabulous characters from previous books in the series. I love Hattie and the way in which she balances family expectations with her own desire to contribute. She wishes to be more than decorative, yet her family doesn't give her credit for her intelligence because she is dyslexic. Seeing how that might have played out in 1880 was so moving. And Lucian is such an intriguing mix of villain or hero from the previous book. I always liked him and even more so now as the protagonist. I enjoyed getting to know both better, as they got to know and understand each other.

I love the historical aspects of this series. Of course, I first fell for it because it centered women's suffrage. I was even more impressed with this book, as it highlighted working conditions of miners and the ways in which the women's suffrage movement was limited by social class. In the best historical fiction, there are lessons that feel current. That is the case for this book, particularly in the discussion of injustice. And the notes at the end do a great job clarifying the historical record.

I loved this book and am so excited for the next in the series.

Thank you to Berkley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

Books 1 and 2 in this series were amazing so I was super looking forward to book #3. Each can be read as stand-alones, although you will read about the characters in all three books.

I enjoyed reading about the struggles Hattie faces in her quest to be an artist while living up to the expectations of women in the Victorian era. Lucian is a rich heartthrob and doesn't quite know what to do with Hattie. It was a book I found hard to put down.

A great book for anyone who loves historical romances.

Thanks for the chance to read and review this book.

Portrait of a Scotsman is hands down my favorite book of The League of Extraordinary Women series. Hattie is very unlike the other characters from this series because she is a bit more naive and sheltered compared to the other women from previous books. If anything this made me love her even more because I loved watching her find her voice and discover her own identity.

Lucian is cutthroat, morally grey, and does not let anything get in his way. The tension and chemistry between Hattie and Lucian jump off the pages in this book. They challenge each other in the best ways with plenty of steam and tension. Portrait of a Scotsman is a bit more slow burn than previous books but it is all worth it.

As always, I love that Evie Dunmore includes historical facts and events in her books. You are not just reading another romance novel, you are also learning about the amazing women that changed history. The last few chapters were not what I expected at all but I think it was the perfect ending for Hattie and Lucian's story.

4.5/5 stars for me!

This is my favorite of the League of Extraordinary Women series, but I found the ending/epilogue rushed. Lucian was so sweet beneath his gruff exterior. I fell totally in love with him, so much so, I felt angry at Hattie for a decision she makes later in the book. I didn't believe her decision to be strongly supported by what we'd been presented with of her character, but everything worked out (for the HEA) in the end. I just loved Lucian.

I've seen the books in this series around different bookish venues and platforms, as well as some from a similar-looking series with which I had gotten this one confused, but this is my first time actually reading one of the books in this series. And I greatly enjoyed it! Fun, sweetness, a few toe-curling vignettes, and a nice look at the interweaving web of oppression based on gender and class. I did not see the second-to-last twist coming, which is delightfully rare and appreciated. I'm promptly going to hunt down the other books and give them a go as well, and adding this to my list of books for those wanting romances that are historical but not too prim.

I liked this more than the second book in the series, though not as much as the first. The beginning and the way the relationship began are both a little slow and disconnected, but I really appreciate how the chemistry developed between Hattie and Lucian. I love a solid grumpy hero with a moral compass, so skip this one if it's a pet peeve of yours. It's also darker than the previous two installments (which I actually appreciated; it gave the novel more depth), so you can also skip it if you're expecting the levity of the other books.

I absolutely loved the first two books in Evie Dunmore's League of Extraordinary Women series! Portrait of a Scotsman features my favorite character of this series, Harriet (Hattie) Greenfield. I absolutely love Hattie, she’s a great whimsical character and in this book, we learn she’s more than just the comic sidekick. Hattie longs for a romantic partner like Mr. Bingley, of her favorite novel. When one of her little rebellions lands her at the feet of Lucian Blackstone, a man more like the dastardly Heathcliff, sparks start to fly. I really enjoyed the growth of Hattie’s character. She blossomed into a wonderful, empathic, talented woman. Lucian Blackstone is a fantastic character. A self-made man from humble means, Blackstone is a man with hidden depths and he’s far from the cold-hearted villain Hattie and the rest of London society thinks he is.

Though I enjoyed this one, I didn’t love it. I felt that the tale suddenly went way off course at the end of Chapter 35. Up until that point, I was thoroughly enjoying the book. Luckily, Evie Dunmore, brought the tale back on course and there was a great and satisfying conclusion. Now I just have to wait for Catriona’s story!

This was my first read by Evie Dunmore and I loved it!

I felt like I was LITERALLY in the book, the way Evie described what was happening. Hattie was such a strong, badass female and I love that she was kind of unconventional (wanted to break the rules, etc).

Lucian, her (forced) husband, is swoon worthy. A little rough around the edges we watch as he struggles to share his past with Hattie, slowly opening up over time.

I loved the discussion of women’s rights and the fight for equality. I also loved that a lot of the book took place away from where the story started. Things get S T E A M Y between Hattie and Luke and I am HERE FOR IT!!!

Overall, a great historical romance read and I can’t wait to read her other works (which are sitting on my shelf and will now get bumped up!).

Thank you for the ARC!

I've read Dunmore's previous two books in this series and loved both. She holds her male leads to modern standards, which is a refreshing twist. Most historical romance lets the men's bad behavior and condescension run rampant while forcing the women to rationalize it. I was less than 25% through "Portrait of a Scotsman" when I began to get nervous. Blackstone's behavior wasn't just bad, it was abusive. I won't ruin the ending, but fear not. Dunmore gives us a romantic, sexy (bordering on kinky) story, and still manages to keep her feminist credentials.

This series is so much fun. It is a historical romance but it feels contemporary. The series is about a group of friends and suffragettes, and each book features on of their stories. I always feel like I’ve learned something about the time period and the suffrage movement after reading one of Dunmore’s novels. I look forward to her next book!

From the first paragraph, I knew this book would be a good one. I immersed myself into the book from the first chapter and I cannot say enough good things about this book! Honestly amazing! The writing is incredible and the plot is just one to die for. I am absolutely obsessed with this book. My favorite part would have to be the character development throughout the book. Character development is something I look forward to and this book did not disappoint.